Railway truck damping device



1953 J. c. SETTLES RAILWAY TRUCK DAMPING DEVICE 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 25, 1946 NNE JAMES C. SETTLES.

1953 J. c. SETTLES RAILWAY TRUCK DAMPING DEVICE 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 25, 1946 JAMES .c'. SETTLES.

211i 1 i z ERIK 1 Jan. 6, 1953 J. c. SETTLES RAILWAY TRUCK DAMFING DEVICE 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 25, 1946 JAMES C. SETTLES.

go i Jan. 6,' 1953 J. c. SETTLES RAILWAY TRUCK DAMPING DEVICE 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 25, 1946 Jan. 6, 1953 J. c. SETTLES RAILWAY TRUCK DAMPING DEVICE '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 25, 1946 kw QM. mJv Q JAMES C.. SETT LES.

M V w m Jan. 6, 1953 J. c. SETTLES RAILWAY TRUCK DAMPING DEVICE 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed June 25, 1946 Mud L FIG. 9

JAMES C. SETTLES.

Jan. 6, 1953 J. c. SETTLES 2,624,291

RAILWAY TRUCK DAMPING DEVICE Filed June 25, 1946 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 /0 F/G. F/G. /2

FIG. /3 37" 32 i F/G. l7 F/G. l8

JAMES C. SETTLES Patented Jan. 6, 1 953 UNITED STAT ES RAILVJAY TRUCK DAMPING DEVICE 1 James G. Settles; Columbus, Ohio; assignor to .The-

Buckeye- Ste'eL Castings Company, Columbus.

Appiicationfiune 25, 1946, Serial-'No. 679;284:

4: Giaims:

'I liis i-hventionrelates'to improvements-tin railwaiy trucls; andmore' particularly tofnov el damping means for" controlling: the I oscillations of the load supportingsprings commonly employed in car trucks:

Theaprim'ary' 'objectof the invention is to provid'e a damping device: wholly contained within each erid 'of 'tlie bolster and including: wedge meansactuatedby -horizontal springs which'bear at their inner-"ends agai'nst centralvertical ribdescription proceeds; the invention consists inthe I novel features-"hereinafter described in detail, illustrated" in the-accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings: V

Fig. I is-a side elevation of a portion of 'a-railway truck with one embodiment of my invention incorporated therein, and withcertain parts in vertical longitudinal sectionto facilitate illusnation.

Fig-L Z-is a-'-horizo'ntal sectional view taken on the-line 2M of Fig: 1;

Sis-a; vertical section View, partly in elevar-an: taken" on the line 3 --3 of'Fig; I.

Fig; 4 isa view like Fig; 1, but illustrating another: modification.

F'i'giff isa horizontal, sectional view taken on the 'line 5"5of;Fig;' 4'.

Fig. eis averticallsectionallview, partly in. e1):- vet-ion; taken: on the line: 69-61 of. Fig. 4-.

Fig.1 'Fisl'a viewl ike Figs. L and 4, but illustratstill. another; modification.

Fig; 8. is. a horizontal sectional View on the line ar -s ofEF-ig. 'z.

F-i'gr-9- is. a vertical. sectional. view; partly in elevation, on the line's- 9" of Fig. 7.

Fig. 10: is. arear elevation of -one of the. outer wedges'ofthedamping means, illustrated in Figs. 1 .-t'o=.3" inclusive; v

Fig; Hi is aisi'de el'evatior-i and Fig. 121s a rear 22 elevatiouopone; ofgtheeinner. wedges ofthe structure'illustratedin'-.Eigs 1- to; 3,, inclusive.

Fig. 13;; is; a side: elevation-. and'-Fig, 1.4 aerear elevation .of one; of, the; outer. wedges: used in; the device shown inzFigs', .4;- toz6, inclusive,-

Figs: 15 and 1.62 are: a. side: elevation. and, rear elevation; respectively; p of; one-:of thejinner wedges usedin", the structure! illustrated;in1Figs. tofi, inclusive;

E'ig. 17,; is aside-elevationandzEig. 18a, rear elevationiofi one; of: the: outer wedges illustrated irr Figs. .Tto 9.; inclusive;

Figs 19 and; 20 are .a, side: elevation, and: rear elevation, respectivelmofione of the inner-wedges of the; structure illustrated. in Figs. 7 to, 9-,; in-

elusive.

Referrin to the embodiment of, the invention illustrated in; Figs; 1. to; 3; inclusiva the side frame .2 I may be of the usual truss-type (although the application of, thexdevice 15;11017 limited, to this type of side; frame), having; a bolster opening 22 fors'thereceptionof a bolster end 23:. The bolster. is supported: onrthe side, frame: spring seat member; 24: byr'means of bolster coilsor. load supporting springs 25 inthe conventional manner.

The bolster is provided withafixediinternal central vertical rib .2 G and a. pocket '21 adjacent each side frame column 28. Eachsvertical face-ofthe rib 2 6 forms a'seat for they inner end: of a horizontally: disposed. spring 29 which. bears; at its outer end. against. the vertical; inner; faces an: of identical upper-and: lower wedges or innerwedge means 31. Eachofxthese wedges hasa. horizontal surface 32' which: bears: against the inner; surface of eitherthe horizontal top or bottom 33. or.- 3.4,

respectively, of the bolster, and aninclinedl'outer surface 35. which bears against the inner arcuate convex surface 36- of a friction shoe orouter wedge means 31. The friction shoe 3.1 has. a vertical outer face 38 bearing against a. wear plate- 39secured to theside frame column 28.

In order tohold the. wedge spring 29 under compression and the other parts in assembled position while. the bol'steryis being applied to, or

- removed from the side frame, each friction wedge 31 is provided with holes 49, adapted to align, when springs 29are compressed, with corresponding-holes M formed in side walls: or rectilinear guides-'42 of the-pocketi'l for receivingretaining pins (-not shown). If preferred, aligned holes 43 and M; in wedges 3 l and side walls 42, respectively, can be used in a similar mannerfor holding the springs: 2-9 under compression.

In: operation, the. constant? horizontal: force from springs 29' is transmitted througl'r surfaces 30 and 35 of wedges 3| and surfaces 36 of friction wedges 31 to force the vertical faces of wedges 31 into contact with the wear plates 39. This horizontal spring force or pressure against wear plates 39 is not changed by upward or downward movement of the bolster relative to the side frame and the device accordingly provides equal snubbing action for both the compression and recoil of bolster supporting springs 25.

The wedging action at the inclined surface 35 of each wedge 3| forces the horizontal surface 32 of each wedge into contact with the inner surface of the top or bottom of the bolster. V This action serves to position the damping device with respect to the bolster in a vertical direction, and to insure its moving with the bolster at all times. Heretofore, damping devices using horizontal springs have not provided wedges, such a 3 l, and in these devices, the horizontal springs 29 bear directly against a vertical seat on the inner surface of the friction shoe 3?. In these devices, the necessary manufacturing and operating clearances between the bolster top and bottom and the friction shoe, permits some vertical movement of the bolster Without movement of the friction shoe along its connected surface with the side frame column. Hence, such bolster movements are undamped, and the battering action which occurs in service due to impact between the friction shoe and the top and bottom plates'of the bolster tends to increase the original vertical clearances in these parts and to permit increasingly larger amplitudes of undamped bolster movements. The present invention eliminates this undesirable action, yet allows normal manufacturing and application clearances and tolerances in the various parts.

The arcuate or convex surface 3% of friction shoe 3! may be formed as two inclined planar surfaces parallel respectively to surfaces 35, of wedges 3|. It'is preferred, however, to make these surfaces as' a single arc-shaped surface struck from a single center, as shown, in order to accommodate in service relatively angular movements in a vertical plane between the side frame and the bolsters The rib 26 of the bolster, in addition to being an important structural element thereof, as before stated, serves as a seat for the inner ends of the Wedge coils. The equal and opposite pressures from these wedge coils or springs, acting between the side frame columns and the rib 2%, serve to keep the bolster centrally located in the bolster opening and in square relation with the side frame, yet permit resiliently resisted unsquaring action between frame andbolster which is desirable when the truck passes around a curve. In other words, the damping device is self-centering and provides a flexible, but selfsquaring truck.

In the modification shown in Figs. 4 to 6, in clusive, two outer wedges and one inner wedge are employed at each side of the bolster instead of the structure illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive. As shown in Figs. 4-6, the two inner wedges are replaced by a single member 35a having a vertical inner face 30a, against which the outer end of wedge coil 29a bears, and identical upper and lower inclined outer faces 35a which diverge towards the central rib 25a. is formed in two parts, consisting of an identi cal upper and lower wedge 37a, each having a vertical face 38a, which bears against the side frame column wear plate 39a, an inclined face 36a which bears against the corresponding in- The friction shoe .4 clined face 35a of member am, and a substantially horizontal surface 32a bearing against the inner horizontal surface of the top or bottom plate 33a or 34a of the bolster. Surfaces 35a and 3211 have slightly crowned contours to accommodate relative angular movement in a vertical plane between the bolster 23a and the side frame 2Ia. The vertical pressures which hold the device in fixed vertical relation with the bolster are exerted through the horizontal surfaces 32a of friction wedges 31a. The operation and advantages of this form of the invention are the same as described above for the device shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive.

In the modification shown in Figs. 7 to 9, inclusive, the outer end of each of the wedge springs 29b bears against the inner vertical surface 382) of wedge 3|b. The latter has a horizontal bottom surface 32b which bears against the inner horizontal surface of the bottom plate 3% of the bolster, and an inclined outer surface 35b which bears against a similarly inclined surface 36?) of an outer wedge member or friction shoe 31b. The shoe has an upper horizontal surface which bears against the inner horizontal surface of the top plate 331) of the bolster, and a vertical outer surface 38b which bears against wear plate 3%, secured to the side frame column 28b. Surfaces 36b and 45 of friction shoe 3'ib are slightly crowned to accommodate relative angular movement in a vertical plane between the bolster 23b and side frame Mb. The device is fixed for movement with the bolster in a vertical direction by the vertical pressures exerted by surfaces 45 and 321) on bolster top and bottom plates 33?) and 34b, respectively. The operation and advantages of this modification are also the same as described for that shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive. If preferred, the wedges can be inverted from the positions shown in Figs. 7 to 9, inclusive, without altering the operating of the device.

While I have disclosed some preferred embodiments of my invention by way of example, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art that changes may be made in the structures described and illustrated without departing from the spirit of the invention, as expressed in the following claims: 7 e

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a damping mechanism for a railway car truck provided with bolster guide columns, a bolster having an end portion extending between said guide columns, a substantially horizontal top wall and a substantially horizontal bottom wall on the bolster end portion, a centrally disposed vertical rib arranged longitudinally of the end portion of the bolsterv connecting the top and bottom walls, an inboard transverse wall connecting the top and bottomwalls of the bolster, an outboard transverse wall connecting the top and bottom walls of the bolster, said transverse walls and said top and bottom walls defining an unobstructed rectangular pocket at one side of the bolster, awedge member having a substantially horizontal under surface extending throughout the entire width of the wedge between said transverse walls, -a horizontally disposed helical spring within the bolster with one end thereof bearing against said rib and the other end engaging said wedge member, an inclined surface on said wedge member sloping downwardly and outwardly in proceeding towards the side of the bolster and said inclined surface extending throughout the width of the wedge between said transverse walls, a friction shoe having a vertical face arranged to engage one of the guide columns, said friction shoe having a substantially horizontal surface on the top portion thereof extending throughout the width of the friction shoe between said transverse walls, and an inclined surface carried by the friction shoe extending throughout the width thereof be tween said transverse walls engaged by the inclined surface on the wedge member whereby the vertical face on the shoe is urged into engagement with the guide column and the friction shoe is shifted upwardly with the substantially horizontal surface thereon into engagement with the under surface of the top wall of the bolster and the wedge member is shifted downwardly with the horizontal surface thereon into engagement with the upper surface of the bottom wall of the bolster.

2. In a damping mechanism for a railway car truck, a side frame provided with spaced guide columns, a bolster having an end portion extending between said guide columns, a substantially horizontal top wall and a substantially horizontal bottom wall on the bolster, a centrally disposed vertical rib arranged longitudinally of the end portion of the bolster connecting the top and bottom walls, an inboard transverse wall at one side of the bolster connecting the top and bottom walls, an outboard transverse wall at said side of the bolster connecting the top and bottom walls, a wedge member mounted between the top and bottom walls of the bolster and between said transverse walls, a spring bearing on said rib and engaging said wedge member, an inclined surface on the wedge member having the same slope throughout the space between said transverse walls, a friction shoe having a fiat face arranged along one guide colunm, a substantially horizontal surface on the friction shoe arranged along one wall of the bolster substantially throughout the space between the inboard and outboard transverse walls, an inclined surface on the friction shoe having the same inclination throughout the space between the transverse wills engaging the inclined surface on the wedge member whereby the spring moves the friction shoe into engagement with the guide column and the reaction set up between the inclined surfaces urges the horizontal surface on the shoe into engagement with one bolster wall and a portion of the wedge member into engagement with the other bolster wall.

3. In a railway car truck, a side frame having spaced columns with friction faces, a bolster resiliently supported between said columns, said 6 bolster having pockets in opposite sides open towards said friction faces, each of said pockets being defined by a top bolster wall and a bottom bolster wall and spaced inboard and outboard walls and a rear bolster wall, said top and bottom walls presenting horizontal oppositely facing surfaces within each pocket, a friction shoe and wedge means in each pocket, resilient means under compression between said wedge means and said rear bolster wall, each of said wedge means having wedging engagement with the associated friction shoe forcing the wedging means into engagement with one of said oppositely facing surfaces, each of said friction shoes hav ing wedging engagement with the wedge means forcing the friction shoes into engagement with the other of said oppositely facing surfaces and urging the friction shoes into engagement with said friction faces.

4. In a railway car truck, a side frame having spaced guide columns, a friction face on one of said guide columns, a bolster end portion resiliently supported between said guide columns, said bolster having a pocket in one side open towards said friction face, said pocket being defined by a bolster top wall and a bolster bottom wall and spaced inboard and outboard walls and an intermediate bolster wall, said top and bottom walls presenting horizontal oppositely facing surfaces within said pocket, a friction shoe and a wedge in said pocket, resilient means under compression between said wedge and said intermediate bolster wall, said wedge having wedging engagement with the friction shoe forcing the wedge into engagement with one of said oppositely facing surfaces and forcing the friction shoe into engagement with the other of said oppositely facing surfaces and urging the friction shoe into engagement with said friction face.

JAMES C. SETTLES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 716,294 Shallenberger Dec. '16, 1902 972,768 Krakau Oct. 11, 1910 2,257,109 Davidson Sept. 30, 1941 2,278,012 Maatman Mar. 31, 1942 2,378,415 Light June '19, 1945 2,392,599 Light Jan. 8, 1946 2,408,866 Marquardt Oct. 8, 1946 2,424,936 Light July 29, 1947 2,437,359 Pierce Mar. 9, 1948 2,456,635 Heater Dec. 21, 1948 

